Nice day... not too hot.. I trimmed one of my tomato plants and a couple of flowers and didn't get too much sweat in my eyes. I also found a nice little hidden red tomato that had been hidden by weeds.
Note to remember: At 5 am this morning, one of our smoke detectors made a loud screeching sound for 3 seconds.... it has done that before. And, the other night, one of our ceiling-installed detector (of some kind) flashed a green and sometimes yellow circle on the bedroom ceiling and this time, on the ceiling in the front room... the first time I have noticed that.
When these things occur, it feels as though Martians are invading. I contacted Security and was told that there is not much they can do... we will have to wait for a new sensing system to be installed "sometime soon. Meanwhile, I won't let Elaine watch Science Fiction movies before bed.
Chamber of Commerce? Horrors?
I subscribe to the Washington Spectator newsletter and depend on its accurate take of the situation in our Nation's capital. In the September first, 2016 issue, Mark Dowie wrote a critique of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The title: Corporate Lobby: The Third Chamber of Congres.
Mark outlines what he believes are the goals of Thomas J. Donohue, CEO since 1997, of the US Chamber of Commerce. I must be very naïve, because when I read the goals I was shocked. If true, these goals are the complete opposite of my idea of proper goals for the United States.
o Challenge health care reform
o Sue the SEC to stifle the regulation of financial markets
o Lobby Congress to reduce punitive damages in product liability legislation
o Gut the Foreign Corrupt Practices and False Claims Acts
o Undermine carbon pollution standards
o Question the causes of climate change
o Oppose a Federal minimum wage
o Defend high-salt processed foods
o Attack "net metering" of solar energy panels
o Interfere in the election of state supreme court justices
o Be a shill for American tobacco overseas (even though tobacco kills)
o Oppose environmental legislation
o Fight paid maternity leave
o Persuade American businesses to fight campaign-finance disclosure
o Oppose net neutrality
o Defend high pharmaceutical prices!!!
o Launder large "anonymous" donations
o Get friendly with the Koch Brothers Freedom Partners
o Get friendly with Karl Rove's American Crossroads Super PAC
WHEW! Tom must be a superman if he can do all this. Mark Dowie thinks that this is just an abbreviated list of Tom's CEO duties.
How does all this fit into the mission of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce? Or does it?
"To advance human progress through an economic, political, and social system based on individual freedom, incentive, initiative, opportunity, and responsibility."
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